|
Just Ghostin'
Dancing your way into harm's way
By Eboni Hogan
The first time I heard of the trend known as "ghost riding the whip" I felt remarkably un-cool. I had managed to lose track of the latest fads and all the things the "cool kids" are doing these days. I decided that in order to retain my standard of complete awesome-ness, I would have to educate myself.
To ghost ride is to put one's vehicle, or "whip", in neutral as the driver and passengers exit the vehicle and dance alongside it. The concept has been credited to a rapper named Pretty Boy, now deceased, who was from an area in Oakland, California known as Ghost Town. In 2006 another Bay Area rapper, E40, released the single "Tell Me When To Go." Basically, Ghost Riding 101. The chorus instructs riders to "go dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb". Simple enough, I suppose.
To be totally honest, ghost riding initially sounded like something exciting to do on an open road with my favorite album blaring from the stereo. I've seen footage of passengers executing choreographed dance numbers as their cars seemingly drove themselves. Ghost riders looking to go the extra mile bring camcorders so that they can later download their footage of the event onto video sharing Web sites. Just by typing in the key phrase "ghost ride the whip," I was directed to a listing of over 1500 video clips shot all across the United States. They ghost ride on suburban roads, in parking lots, and terrifyingly - on major freeways and through busy intersections. Ghost riding was starting to show a risky side.
Devout riders claim that ghost riding was not created to see anyone be successful but to allow people to fail miserably in seemingly awesome ways. But a car without a driver won't brake for other cars, stop signs or people. They slam into mailboxes, fences, and guard rails at excessively high speeds. Young people have been run down by their own vehicles. I came across footage of a young man allowing his car to race around in circles in a parking lot as he ran alongside it. With smoke billowing from his tires, his car spins out of control, trapping him beneath it. Bystanders lift the car off his body as the paramedics arrive. While I'm not sure what became of that young man, I can imagine that if he was struck by his own car, chances are he needed more than a band-aid. Since its rise in popularity, three deaths can be attributed to something that I initially thought sounded like fun.
Is this the price we pay for a little thrill seeking? The day finally comes when you no longer have to chase down the cheese bus in the morning, and you decide to ram the car your parents entrusted you with, into a mailbox? Instead of finally taking that trip to the mall—without your mother (you never thought you'd see the day), would you really rather take a trip to the emergency room instead—with your mother? A $250 reckless operation fine when you could be buying your homecoming dress? No glittery, bejeweled, strapless number this year. Not to mention, your personal chauffer to the dance is none other than Mom herself. When you weigh the options, ghost riding begins to sound not only hazardous to your health but to your social life too.
Curious about careers in the Automotive Industry? The On the Road Focus Book is filled with career connections to explore and much more! Call Girl Scout Merchandise at 800-221-6707 to order your copy now.
|
